Page 109 of Stanton Unconditional

I sob again. “The one where they kill you and rape me,” I whisper.

He frowns. “The same dream you had in the hospital?” I nod and start to wipe the tears from my face.

“How often do you have this dream?” he asks, horrified. I shrug. “At least twice a week,” I whisper.

He frowns again. “What? You are this scared at least twice a week on your own, in the middle of the night?”

I nod as I drop my head in shame. “I feel like I am going crazy,” I whisper.

“Tash” He pulls me back down to lie with him. “It’s ok. I’m not going to die, and no one is going to rape you…no one, except me maybe.” He smiles as he kisses my forehead again.

I snuggle into his chest as my heartbeat starts to slow down. His t-shirt is wet from my tears. He idly starts to run his fingers through my hair as he thinks.

“When did these nightmares start?” he asks.

“Two days after Dad died,” I reply sadly.

“It’s not true, Tash. It’s just a dream. Nobody is going to get you. You are safe.”

I nod. “Josh, you are not safe, that crazy man is after you.

What if it’s a premonition? What if they do get us? What if it’s Dad trying to send me a message through my dream?”

He tutts in sympathy. “Stop thinking like that. We have so much security around us no one can touch us.”

I nod and kiss his chest in a thankful gesture.

“What do you do to calm yourself when you are alone?” he asks.

I shrug, embarrassed.

“Huh?” he asks as he kisses my forehead again.

“I take a hot shower,” I whisper.

“Come on then, up you get.” He pushes me up from his chest and onto my feet. “Shower time.”

I get up slowly, walk to the bathroom and hear him open my linen closet in the hall and get me out a towel. I turn the hot water on and wait for it to heat up.

He walks into the bathroom and over to me. I’m embarrassed. I feel like a little kid freaking out over a stupid dream. He slowly pulls my nightdress over my head, as his eyes don’t leave mine. His hands run down my legs as he removes my panties, and he gently kisses my stomach on the way back up my body.

He opens the glass door to the shower and ushers me in. I stand under the hot water and feel myself start to relax. Why is hot water therapy so damn effective? I lean on the wall…my habit when trying to relax. Then I feel the door open and turn to see a naked Joshua getting in with me. My eyes drop down the length of his body…to his tattoo. My name branding his perfect body. I grab him in an affectionate embrace, unable to help myself.

“Turn around, Presh, and let me wash your back,” he whispers into the top of my head.

I smile broadly up at him. He frowns. “What?”

“You called me, Presh,” I whisper.

He smirks. “Did I?”

I nod and smile again as I turn away from him. His hands slowly rub soap all over my back and he washes me in deep massaging strokes, his hands rubbing deep into the muscles over the tops of my shoulders. Down my arms, back up over my shoulders. My eyes close at the contact. Hmm, this feels so good. He gently kisses the side of my ear and I smile into him.

“Thank you,” I whisper. He stills. “For what?”

“For being here and looking after me. It means a lot.”

He turns me and kisses me gently on the lips.